Qatar 2022 World Cup likely to be held in WINTER | Daily Mail Online comments FIFA has announced that two options have emerged as the most likely dates for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar - and both are in the winter. A meeting of a task force to look into the international calendar has identified January/February 2022 or November/December 2022 as the most likely options - meaning considerable disruption to the normal football season. FIFA has been asked to consider May 2022 by the clubs however, despite concerns over the blistering heat during that month. Scroll down for video The 2022 Qatar World Cup could be held in January/February or November/December. Pictured Qatar's Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani (left) holds the World Cup trophy next to FIFA president Joseph Blatter FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke said in a statement on Monday: 'We are getting closer to narrowing the dates for the FIFA World Cup to two options - January/February 2022 or November/December 2022 - but FIFA has also been asked to consider May 2022.

'We will summarise what we've heard today and provide feedback to all parties in order for them to prepare for the next meeting as we progress towards a final decision.' RELATED ARTICLES Share this article Share FIFA added that Qatar 2022 chief executive Hassan Al Thawadi had stated that the 'ideal situation' for the Middle East 'for an all-inclusive World Cup would be for it to be held in the winter' although it was still open to the traditional June/July dates. Meanwhile, FIFA is facing the prospect of losing two of its biggest sponsors after airline Emirates decided not to renew its contract and electronics giant Sony also considering ending its links with the world governing body. An artist's impression, supplied by Qatar 2022, of the dazzling Doha Port stadium which is one of 10 stadiums being builtfor the tournament, which has been dogged by controversy The confirmation comes four months after a number of FIFA's official World Cup partners expressed concerns about the negative publicity surrounding the latest allegations of corruption. Emirates' contract expires next month and the Dubai-based airline has confirmed it will not renew its sponsorship. FIFA said it has known of the decision since 2012.

It is understood Qatar Airways - owned by 2022 World Cup hosts Qatar - is considering becoming a sponsor in its place. FIFA confirmed that Emirates will not be renewing its deal and that talks are ongoing with Sony. Samsung, which is a major Olympic sponsor, may take over from Sony. Both Emirates and Sony are among FIFA's official partners - the six top tier sponsors who provided hundreds of millions of pounds in sponsorship income to the world governing body. FIFA said in a statement to the Press Association: 'Emirates had already informed FIFA back in June 2012 about the restructuring of its sponsorship concept and FIFA respects this. 'Due to the ongoing negotiations, we cannot give any further information about future partners in this category at this stage. 'The current contract with Sony still runs until 31 December 2014 and we are currently in on-going discussions with Sony.' Chuck Blazer agreed to take a secret microphone into meetings with football officials for the FBI Emirates also confirmed its plans, saying in a statement: 'Emirates can confirm that a decision has been made not to renew the sponsorship agreement with FIFA past 2014.

This decision was made following an evaluation of FIFA's contract proposal which did not meet Emirates' expectations.' In June, a number of partners including Sony made public their concerns about the effect of continuing negative publicity around FIFA. It followed publication of fresh allegations of corruption surrounding World Cup voting and elections for FIFA positions. Adidas, the sportswear firm which is perhaps FIFA's most important partner and has a deal until 2030, said at the time: 'The negative tenor of the public debate around FIFA at the moment is neither good for football nor for FIFA and its partners.' Japanese electronics giant Sony said in June the corruption claims should 'be investigated appropriately' and called for FIFA to observe 'its principles of integrity, ethics and fair play'. FIFA earned more than £230 million from sponsors and other marketing partners last year. Meanwhile, a Conservative MP has called for the Serious Fraud Office to investigate World Cup bidding after claims that the FBI persuaded a FIFA executive to bug his meetings during the London 2012 Olympics. Damian Collins says reports that Chuck Blazer agreed to take a tiny, secret microphone into meetings with other football officials should persuade the SFO to investigate.

The New York Daily News reported that Blazer, the American former FIFA executive committee member, agreed to take a bug hidden inside a key ring into meetings, some of which took place in London. He was under investigation by the FBI and tax authorities for millions in unpaid taxes, the newspaper said. The SFO said last week it does not have the jurisdiction to investigate World Cup bidding but Collins believes the latest reports on the FBI should make it reconsider. Collins told Press Association Sport: 'If the FBI investigation includes meetings that Chuck Blazer held in London during the Olympics, then that should come under the jurisdiction of the SFO.' US attorney Michael Garcia has finished his investigation into bidding for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, won by Russia and Qatar respectively. England also bid for the 2018 tournament but was eliminated in the first round of voting. Garcia's report is now being studied by the head of FIFA's ethics adjudicatory chamber, German judge Hans-Joachim Eckert, but he has said he will not publish it in full. Collins wants the SFO to demand FIFA send it a copy of the Garcia report.

2022 World Cup in Qatar will not be held in summer | FIFA 2014 World Cup | Football | Sport 2022 World Cup in Qatar will not be held in summer 11:13 - 8 Jan 2014 A computer image of the Port Doha stadium complex. Credit: PA FIFA's secretary general has stated that the 2022 World Cup in Qatar "will not be in June or July". Jerome Valcke, who has been given the task of looking at alternative dates due to the fierce heat of the summer in Qatar, says it is likely to be held sometime between November 15 and January 15. Valcke told France Info (radio station): "It will not be in June or July." He added: "Frankly I think it'll be played between November 15 and January 15 at the latest. "If you play between November 15 and the end of the year that's when the weather is at its most favourable." Valcke suggested it will be "like a warm spring in Europe" with "an average temperature of 25 degrees, therefore it's perfect for football".

Valcke's statement however is likely to need ratification by FIFA's executive committee. Jerome Valcke. Credit: PA Indeed, FIFA said in a statement that it was Valcke's own view but that no decision had been taken on the timing. The statement said: "Secretary General Jerome Valcke explained today in the Radio France interview - as he had already mentioned previously - that in his view the 2022 FIFA World Cup must take place in winter and the best possible time frame would be 15 November to 15 January. "However, the precise event date is still subject to an ongoing consultation process which involves all main event stakeholders, including both the international football community (FIFA, confederations, member associations, leagues, clubs, players) as well as FIFA's commercial partners (commercial affiliates and media rights licensees). "As the event will not be played until eight years' time the consultation process will not be rushed and will be given the necessary time to consider all of the elements relevant for a decision.

"Consequently, no decision will be taken before the upcoming 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil as agreed by the FIFA executive committee." Valcke and Blatter held talks with the association of European Professional Football Leagues (EPFL) in Zurich on Wednesday morning and stressed no decision had been taken. Frederic Thiriez, EPFL chairman and chairman of the French League, said: "I can confirm that FIFA's position as to the timing of the 2022 World Cup has not changed since its executive committee of last October 3: a wide consultation process and no hasty decision, as the EPFL had requested. "In other words: 'Nothing new under the sun'." Fifa confirms 2022 World Cup in Qatar is likely to be held in winter | Football | The Guardian Fifa confirms 2022 World Cup in Qatar is likely to be held in winter • January-February or November-December most likely • Clubs ask Fifa to also consider May 2022 • Qatar 2022 chief still open to June-July dates Fifa has said that the 2022 World Cup is most likely to be staged in winter months but the summer remains a possibility.

Photograph: Getty Images Press Association Monday 3 November 2014 10.00 EST Last modified on Monday 4 April 2016 10.21 EDT Close This article is 2 years old Two options have emerged as the most likely dates for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar – and both are in the winter. A meeting of a task force to look into the international calendar has identified January-February 2022 or November-December 2022 as the most likely options – meaning considerable disruption to the normal football season. Fifa has been asked to consider May 2022 by the clubs, despite concerns over the heat during that month. The Fifa secretary general, Jérôme Valcke, said on Monday: “We are getting closer to narrowing the dates for the World Cup to two options – January-February 2022 or November-December 2022 – but Fifa has also been asked to consider May 2022.

“We will summarise what we’ve heard today and provide feedback to all parties in order for them to prepare for the next meeting as we progress towards a final decision.” Fifa added the Qatar 2022 chief executive, Hassan Al Thawadi, had stated the ideal situation for the Middle East for an all-inclusive World Cup would be for it to be held in the winter, although it was still open to the traditional June-July dates. BBC Sport - Football - Russia & Qatar will host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups Russia & Qatar will host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups Advertisement The moment Russia won 2018 World Cup bid Russia and Qatar have been chosen to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cup finals respectively after a secret ballot of Fifa's 22 executive members in Zurich. Russia was selected ahead of co-bidders Spain-Portugal and Holland-Belgium and England, which won only two votes. Qatar defeated bids from South Korea, Japan, Australia and the United States.

"You have entrusted us with the Fifa World Cup for 2018 and I can promise you will never regret it," said Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov. Russia received nine votes in the first round of voting and an outright majority of 13 in the second round, while Qatar obtained an outright majority of 14 in the fourth round of voting for 2022. It is the first time that either Russia or Qatar has been chosen as host nation for the World Cup. "Let us make history together," Shuvalov added. Russia's selection comes despite the absence of Prime Minister Valdimir Putin from the vote in Switzerland. Qatar win right to host 2022 World Cup The 58-year-old had been expected to be a prominent figurehead for the Russian bid in the final days of campaigning but instead remained in Moscow. He is now expected to fly to Zurich to thank Fifa for what he described as "a sign of trust" for his country. "Russia loves football, Russia knows what football is and in our country we have everything to conduct the 2018 World Cup on a very worthy level," said Putin in a televised interview.

"The decision corresponds with Fifa's philosophy for developing football, especially in those regions of the world where that development is needed." Qatar's Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani was in attendance in Zurich, and he thanked Fifa for "believing in change". "We have worked very hard over past two years to get to this point," Al-Thani continued. "Today we celebrate, but tomorrow, the work begins. "We acknowledge there is a lot of work for us to do, but we also stand by our promise that we will deliver." 2018 VOTING 1st round: England 2 (eliminated), Netherlands-Belgium 4; Spain-Portugal 7; Russia 9 2nd round: Netherlands-Belgium 2; Spain-Portugal 7; Russia 13 (Russia obtain absolute majority) The Spain-Portugal 2018 bid gained seven votes and its managing director Miguel Angel Lopez commented: "Fifa thought it was better to promote football in other latitudes and there we are.

The decision is focused on taking football to regions which have never held a World Cup." The Belgium-Netherlands bid picked up four votes in the first round and two in the second. Former Belgian star Marc Wilmots thought the decision was a negative one for football. "Russia is a political choice and Qatar is an economic choice," Wilmots reflected. "You can say that to some extent the sport has been the loser with the decision for these two World Cups." US President Barack Obama said he felt Fifa had made "the wrong decision" in awarding the 2022 tournament to Qatar. The US reached the fourth round of voting before being beaten by Qatar, and US 2022 bid chairman Sunil Gulati stated: "We're disappointed. No way to get around that. We worked very hard. "The country has been behind us in a way we haven't seen. We know it came down to two. Which automatically means it was very close. "But there's a lot of countries in the world that want to host these events. "People have figured out a way to do it and not lose a lot of money, especially if you don't have infrastructure issues.

"Certainly in the two winners today there are going to be a lot of infrastructure needs and commitments have been made by the governments." Despite losing out in the first round of voting for 2022, Australia's Football Federation chief executive Ben Buckley thought the Australian bid had strengthened his country's reputation. "We are obviously disappointed at the outcome in Zurich, however we are proud of the efforts we made in trying to secure a World Cup in Australia," Buckley added. "We mounted a technically excellent, credible and responsible bid against enormous competition and this strong bid has delivered important benefits. "Australia's reputation as a potential host for such a major event has been reinforced." 606: DEBATE Giving the event to Russia has massive appeal if you take a step back and look at it. The same when you consider the Qatari bid reddevil-666 The tiny oil-rich Gulf state of Qatar, with a population estimated to be around 1.7m, will be the first Middle Eastern country to host a major sporting event, and a central crux of their bid centred around boosting the region's global profile.

With the country's economy expected to grow by 15.5% this year and soar by 21% in 2011, Qatar is expected to spare no expense in building stadiums for the event, with the total cost of construction work expected to be about £4bn. Under proposals submitted to Fifa, Qatar would renovate three stadiums and build nine new ones, with the 12 venues divided among seven host cities. This includes the proposed 86,000-capacity Lusail Stadium, which is expected to be completed by 2019 and is scheduled to host the opening and final matches. Bid organisers said that all the stadiums will be climate-controlled and zero-carbon emitting to combat what could be temperatures as high as 50C during the two hottest months of the year in Qatar. The country has also launched a huge spending policy in recent years to accommodate its growing population, splashing out billions on rail, air and road links. Plans are also in place to complete a metro system to connect each stadium by 2017, meaning travel time between venues would be no more than an hour.

Doubts remain over whether the country will be able to cope with an influx of approximately 400,000 fans. The country currently has around 50,000 hotel rooms, but bid leaders have promised that 95,000 will be available come 2022. There are also concerns that the demand for alcohol and potential rowdy behaviour from football fans could clash with the conservative social mores of a country that is still a relatively closed Islamic nation. Russia's plans for improving facilities in host cities are also in line with Fifa's long-term ambitions for developing the sport, especially in regions with outdated infrastructure.

2022 VOTING 1st round: Australia 1 (eliminated); Japan 3; United States 3; South Korea 4; Qatar 11 2nd round: Japan 2 (eliminated); South Korea 5; United States 5; Qatar 10 3rd round: South Korea 5 (eliminated); United States 6; Qatar 11 4th round: United States 8; Qatar 14 Russia has proposed staging the tournament in 13 cities, grouped into four clusters that stretch from the exclave of Kaliningrad on the borders of the European Union to Yekaterinburg in the Urals on the fringe of Siberia. Putin's promise to scrap visas was seen as crucial to his country's prospects of winning the vote as nationals of almost all countries outside the former Soviet Union require the paperwork to visit Russia. There have been concerns that Russia's vast size, its remoteness from other countries and what is seen as a relatively weak transport system could make travelling around the country problematic. All the host cities are in the European region of the country and Putin has promised that fans will be able to travel on public transport for free during the event.

The results have brought to a close an extremely controversial voting procedure, with Fifa facing a number of allegations of corruption, which has led to the suspension of two members of the executive committee. A recent investigation by BBC's Panorama, which was broadcast on Monday, accused three executive committee members of accepting payments and alleged Fifa vice-president Jack Warner attempted to supply ticket touts. An increasingly acrimonious climax to campaigning saw Spanish and Russian officials issue veiled attacks on the British media for reports of alleged corruption in world football's governing body. In addition, Qatar had to endure a Fifa investigation into allegations it planned to trade blocs of votes with 2018 bidder Spain-Portugal - charges which could not be proved because of a lack of evidence.

Advertisement Fifa member breaks ranks to claim 2022 World Cup will not be in Qatar | Football | The Guardian Fifa member breaks ranks to claim 2022 World Cup will not be in Qatar • Germany’s Theo Zwanziger believes tournament will be moved • Excessive heat would ‘trigger investigation by state prosecutor’ • Qatar insist it is a matter of when and not if they host tournament Monday 22 September 2014 06.26 EDT Last modified on Monday 4 April 2016 10.37 EDT Pinterest Qatar may lose 2022 World Cup, says Fifa official The Fifa executive committee member Theo Zwanziger has broken ranks to claim that, in his opinion, the 2022 World Cup finals will not be held in Qatar because of extreme temperatures in the Gulf state. While those on the Qatari organising committee have consistently stated a summer tournament is viable thanks to the development of cooling technologies to be used at grounds, sentiments their general secretary Hassan al-Thawadi reiterated on Monday, there is still widespread concern for the health of players, officials and supporters.

Zwanziger, the former president of the German football association, still sits on the Fifa executive body which, in 2010 and before his time, awarded the tournament to Qatar. He suggested the threat of legal action by anyone affected by the scorching heat may force the finals to be moved. “I personally think that in the end the 2022 World Cup will not take place in Qatar ,” said the German, who is a long-standing critic of the decision to award the games to the Gulf state. “Medics say that they cannot accept responsibility with a World Cup taking place under these conditions. “They may be able to cool the stadiums but a World Cup does not take place only there. Fans from around the world will be coming and travelling in this heat and the first life-threatening case will trigger an investigation by a state prosecutor. That is not something Fifa Exco members want to answer for.” Fifa has been quick to point out that Zwanziger, who had been speaking to Sport Bild, was expressing a personal opinion rather than reflecting the views of the governing body. As a result, it declined to comment on his specific observations.

Fifa Executive Committee member Theo Zwanziger believes the 2022 World Cup will not be played in Qatar. Photograph: John Thys/AFP/Getty Images Nasser al-Khater, Qatar’s executive director of communications, responded in a statement by saying: “The only question now is WHEN, not IF. Summer or winter, we will be ready.” Zwanziger is due to step down from Fifa at its congress next May where he is likely to be replaced by his successor at the DFB, Wolfgang Niersbach. That would suggest Zwanziger will no longer have any involvement or influence at Fifa by the time it begins considering the findings of the investigation into alleged bribery and corruption in the award of the finals to Qatar, being led by Fifa’s prosecutor Michael Garcia, let alone the question of human rights’ abuses and the rights of migrant workers building the stadiums in the country. Fifa continues to explore the possibility of moving the tournament to the European winter to avoid the soaring summer temperatures, which routinely rise above 40C.

The president of the Asian Football Confederation, Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa, chaired a meeting to discuss the matter earlier this month with the options of January to February 2022 and, more likely, November to December 2022 offered as alternatives to June and July. Yet there remains opposition from domestic leagues who will inevitably be disrupted, with plenty of obstacles still to be overcome. “We applied for a summer’s World Cup, and the cooling technology that we have suggested already exists,” Thawadi said in an interview with Die Welt. “For example, we have showed at the public viewing during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil that the technique works at outdoor events. It was a great success. “And our system is sustainable. It is clear a World Cup in the summer is possible but, if Fifa wants to reschedule the tournament, that is also OK with us. We will just wait but I’m not afraid [of the tournament being denied Qatar]. There is no basis for us losing the World Cup. It is the first World Cup in the Middle East and will be a platform that brings people together.

It will leave a positive legacy, so I am sure the finals will be held in Qatar in 2022.” Should The 2022 Soccer World Cup Still Be Held in Qatar? Should The 2022 Soccer World Cup Still Be Held in Qatar? To add this article to a collection, you must be logged in. Login Now Collect Aug 17, 2015 There are very few sports in the world that have the international reach that soccer does. It is watched and played by every country in the world, irrespective of their economic wealth, surpassing religious, ethnic, and cultural barriers in a way that other sports simply cannot. This diversity is best displayed during the FIFA World Cup, which is played every four years — the most popular and widely viewed sporting event on the planet. The 2010 World Cup final between Spain and the Netherlands, for example, drew 3.2 billion spectators; almost half of the world's population. Hosting a World Cup, then, is an honor and a responsibility that should not be taken lightly. In December 2010, 11 countries placed their final bid for the right to host the 2022 World Cup, including the United States.

The 22 FIFA Executive Committee members who decided who should have the right to host the prestigious event raised a few eyebrows with their first two picks — Brazil (2014) and Russia (2018) — which were highly scrutinised, but the choice to award Qatar the 2022 World Cup not only caused more people to question their decisions, it caused worldwide outrage, by fans and players alike. The most blatant example as to why the decision had such a negative reaction is in relation to human rights violations. The Qatari government made it clear that they would not permit any gay people to attend the event, a decision that left people completely dumbfounded. Not only would that strip people of their right to attend the event, it would also reinforce a barrier that has been successfully fought against in many cultures. It also raises the question; if an athlete who had been selected to play in the World Cup were to come out as gay, would the Qatari government ban him from playing? With more and more athletes coming out as gay, it is not unforeseeable for a situation like this to occur.

Just in case anybody was thinking of trying to negotiate a deal or a compromise, the Qatari government also announced that they would be subjecting visitors to a "medical gay test" in order to prevent homosexual fans from entering any of the Gulf Cooperation States. FIFA tried to ease the concerns of gay rights groups that opposed this absurd decision by stating that there would be a 'zero tolerance' approach toward racial and sexual discrimination in the World Cup. A few days later however, the then president of FIFA, Sepp Blatter, told gay fans to "refrain from sexual activities" if they wanted to attend the tournament. So basically what he was saying was that gay people could go to the World Cup, they just couldn't be gay while they were there. This just highlighted the circus that FIFA had become and the ineptitude of the clown in charge, Sepp Blatter, and may have been the trigger for the recent successful series of FBI investigations, which unearthed countless cases of corruption coursing through the veins of the governing body of world soccer. Fans have also voiced their concern over the strict alcohol consumption laws in Qatar, which happens to be a dry country, except for a few areas designated only for foreigners.

The Qatari government have assured disgruntled fans that there will be restricted areas, closed to citizens of the country, where tourists will be allowed to booze up. This, however, just seems to be a recipe for disaster. For example, the punishments facing tourists for being drunk in a public place include being deported, fined or even imprisoned. So what are the fans supposed to do? Drink in their designated areas and then sober up in time to make the trip to the stadium? Players and coaches have also protested against the decision to allow Qatar to host the tournament. The World Cup is traditionally held in the summer off-season, after the players finish their regular club season. The only problem is that the average summer temperature in Qatar sits at a toasty 120 degrees. While some fans might be rubbing their hands together with glee at the thought of topping up their tan in the stands while watching their nation battle it out on the pitch, we must take note of the devastating effect that that heat could have upon the players. The 1994 World Cup that was held in Mexico should have served as a stark reminder to FIFA, in which players literally collapsed on the pitch. Apparently this factor was not considered when Qatar’s bid was being assessed.

Only when Chucho Benitez, an Ecuadorian international player, died in the opening game of the Qatari soccer league in July 2013 did FIFA realize that the temperature might be an issue. The best solution FIFA has come up with to date is to delay the tournament until the winter, but continental and national soccer federations have pushed back aggressively, arguing that this would disrupt soccer calendars worldwide. Likewise, fans don't seem too keen on the thought of a Christmas World Cup. Whichever way you look at it, Qatar was clearly a terrible choice by FIFA, especially considering that better suited nations such as Japan, South Korea, Australia and the United States were all in the running to host. Considering FIFA's ever growing reputation for corruption, it is hardly surprising that suspicions of foul play arose. A member of the Qatar 2022 bidding committee leaked information to the media that showed that three members of FIFA's executive committee received $1.5 million each in return for their backing, hence the subsequent FBI investigation and succession of arrests of top FIFA officials. And those are the ones we know about. It's a shame, but by no means a shock, that FIFA have let a nation buy the right to host the World Cup.

That is the only plausible explanation as to why a country whose bid had more holes than a household sieve has been given this privilege. At the time of writing, Qatar still has the green light to host the 2022 World Cup. A boycott by other countries seems highly unlikely considering the political disadvantages of falling out of favor with the oil rich nation. Qatar will have to opportunity to showcase itself to a worldwide audience, and if by some miracle it turns out to be a success, the country's brand will be greatly improved. A more likely result, however, is that they inadvertently end up broadcasting all of the problems that people argued were likely to occur; players collapsing in the sweltering heat and fans being discriminated against, which would only serve to embarrass themselves and FIFA for having made such a huge error of judgement. Share David Beckham says 2022 World Cup should be held in Qatar - BBC Sport BBC Sport David Beckham says 2022 World Cup should be held in Qatar 7 Dec 2015 Read more about sharing.

Beckham's plans to create a team in Miami edged a step closer after a site for the franchise's stadium was approved by the MLS David Beckham believes the 2022 World Cup should be held in Qatar despite uncertainty over its hosting rights. Swiss and US authorities are looking at claims of corruption in the bidding for both the 2018 (Russia) and 2022 events. In the Radio Times' Christmas issue, Beckham said: "Whether it's corrupt or not, those countries have been chosen. People need to get behind that. "It's about bringing football to new countries. They should stick with it. They'll make it work." In June a leading Fifa official said Russia and Qatar could lose the 2018 and 2022 World Cups if evidence emerges of bribery. Russia and Qatar have denied wrongdoing in their bidding processes and the official, Domenico Scala, said he had not seen evidence of corruption. Fifa is currently in disarray and has announced plans to reform, but asked whether the governing body was turning a corner, the 40-year-old former England captain said: "No - they are just hitting the bend.

"It's such a mess that it's going to take a while to sort out. "For me to see the game, the way it's been treated and looked after, is devastating. It's disgusting." Last week Fifa plunged further into crisis when US authorities investigating corruption at the sport's governing body charged 16 officials. In May there were seven Fifa arrests, while Fifa president Sepp Blatter and Uefa counterpart Michel Platini - a Fifa vice-president - have been suspended for 90 days after the Swiss attorney general opened criminal proceedings against Blatter. Former Manchester United and Real Madrid midfielder Beckham also revealed that he "loves rugby". "I love watching it and I love the whole thing. I have enjoyed going to Twickenham more than I have enjoyed watching football," he said. Share this page 2022 World Cup Will Be Held In Winter – FIFA President Sepp Blatter :: Live Soccer TV 2022 World Cup Will Be Held In Winter – FIFA President Sepp Blatter Topics: 2022 World Cup , Qatar , Uzbekistan , FIFA , Sepp Blatter , AFC Asian Cup Controversy hit football when Qatar won the right to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Now it is set to continue as FIFA President Sepp Blatter “expects” it to be held in winter against the World Cup’s traditional timing. As the AFC Asian Cup kicks off on Friday with the Qatar vs Uzbekistan match, Sepp Blatter is in Doha to honour the competition. The 74-year-old Swiss also consumed some of his time earlier this morning to interact with journalists. Discussing about the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the FIFA President declared: “I expect it will be held in the winter. We have time to look at this question. It’s still 11 years away, but we must decide the most adequate period for a successful World Cup – which means, in January or at the end of the year. “Do not forget, there is still 11 years to go and although we have the basic conditions of their bid for a June and July World Cup, the FIFA executive committee is entitled to change anything that was in the bid.” Qatar’s bid included the option of equipping their stadiums and the cities with air conditions – something which raised most people’s eyebrows whereas a minority of football’s public admired the idea and applauded the country’s ambition to stage a World Cup.

In Qatar, the temperature can go up to 40 degrees Celsius in summer. In winter, however, the temperature goes down and averages between 20 and 30 degrees – which should make it possible for footballers and fans to cope with weather conditions. Concluding on this matter, FIFA President Sepp Blatter stated: “When you play football, you have to protect the main people and the players.” More criticism is set to bombard FIFA’s choice to host the 2022 World Cup in Qatar throughout the next 11 years. In the meantime, the Middle East country will try to defend their ability to stage major events through the AFC Asian Cup which will commence on Friday evening with the Qatar vs Uzbekistan match. You might also like It's a winter World Cup! FIFA confirm 2022 tournament in Qatar will be played between November and January | Daily Mail Online comments FIFA's secretary general has stated that the 2022 World Cup in Qatar 'will not be in June or July'.

Jerome Valcke, who has been given the task of looking at alternative dates due to the fierce heat of the summer in Qatar, says it is likely to be held sometime between November 15 and January 15. Valcke told France Info (radio station): 'It will not be in June or July. Frankly I think it'll be played between November 15 and January 15 at the latest. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Sepp Blatter defending Qatar in 2013 Winter: FIFA have confirmed that the 2022 World Cup in Qatar will be played between November and January. Pictured is an illustration of the Al Gharafa Stadium which has been proposed as a venue for the tournament 'If you play between November 15 and the end of the year that's when the weather is at its most favourable.' Valcke suggested it will be 'like a warm spring in Europe' with 'an average temperature of 25 degrees, therefore it's perfect for football'. Valcke's statement however is likely to need ratification by FIFA's executive committee.

Modern design: The Al Wakrah Stadium is proposed to be a 40,000-seater venue Why is the Qatari summer dangerous? - Temperatures can easily reach 40C during the day. They have been as high as 53C - Stadiums will be air conditioned but even inside temperatures could still be upward of 25C - Many fans will not have tickets and so will be exposed to the hotter temperatures - In June there is nearly 14 hours of daylight - Average cloud cover is 0% - Average chance of rainfall is 1% - Humidity can get as high as 90% However, FIFA said in a statement that it was Valcke's own view but that no decision had been taken on the timing. The statement said: 'Secretary General Jerome Valcke explained today in the Radio France interview - as he had already mentioned previously - that in his view the 2022 FIFA World Cup must take place in winter and the best possible time frame would be 15 November to 15 January.

'However, the precise event date is still subject to an ongoing consultation process which involves all main event stakeholders, including both the international football community (FIFA, confederations, member associations, leagues, clubs, players) as well as FIFA's commercial partners (commercial affiliates and media rights licensees). 'As the event will not be played until eight years' time the consultation process will not be rushed and will be given the necessary time to consider all of the elements relevant for a decision. 'Consequently, no decision will be taken before the upcoming 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil as agreed by the FIFA executive committee.' Mind the gap! Premier League will be hit by enforced winter break By Craig Hope So the 2022 World Cup looks set to be switched to winter, what does this mean for the Premier League? In short, disruption. Be it a November/December tournament or contained within January, the Premier League calendar will be forced to arrange its fixtures around the finals. Such as? We’d be looking at a July kick off for starters with a likely finish date of the following June. There could also been an increase in midweek fixtures did the calendar allow. Would we lose the festive fixtures? Certainly some of them would go.

There remains a possibility that football could return towards the end of December were the World Cup to end in the middle of the month. A January tournament, however, would almost certainly see the festive fixtures scrapped as there would be a mandatory release date on which players would leave their clubs to join up with the national team. That’s the Premier League, what about the cups? There has already been some suggestion that FA Cup replays would be sacrificed. The League Cup would probably remain the same, although quite where it would rank in clubs’ list of priorities is anyone’s guess. The Champions League currently breaks between December and February and so could avoid disruption. How many seasons will it affect? The Premier League has claimed that there will be three seasons of disruption to allow the time to adjust between calendars. FIFA has rejected this although there are sure to be at least two truncated pre/close seasons. Grand designs: The proposed Al-Rayyan football stadium in Doha, to be built for the 2022 World Cup Meanwhile, Britain's FIFA vice-president Jim Boyce said he was 'totally surprised' at the statement - and confirmed the decision had to be taken by the executive committee.

'I was totally surprised this morning when I heard what Jerome has said,' Boyce said. 'As I understand it all the stakeholders will have discussions and report back to the executive committee of FIFA and no final decision will be made on when the 2022 World Cup would be played until December 2014 or March 2015. 'As far as I am concerned that remains the situation and there has been nothing said to me to make that any different.' Boyce, from Northern Ireland, said Valcke 'may have been stating his personal opinion'. He also said there had been a general assumption that the 2022 World Cup could not be played in the summer due to the heat. That view has previously been expressed by UEFA's 54 member countries and FIFA president Sepp Blatter but no decision on alternative dates has been taken. 'There is an expectation but there has been no decision,' said Boyce. Uefa president Michel Platini said last year that the tournament must be held during the winter to protect the players and fans from the searing desert heat.

Temperatures can exceed 40 degrees in the summer in the middle-eastern country, compared to a more comfortable 17 degrees in the winter. The finals were controversially awarded to Qatar in 2011 with Platini, the UEFA president, one of those who voted in their favour. 'I am in favour of Qatar under two conditions,' the former France star said. 'Because of the heat the World Cup will need to be held in the winter. 'With over 40 degrees, playing football is impossible and for fans it would also be unbearable.' Spectacular: The Qatar University Stadium in Doha, another one of the proposed venues FA chairman Greg Dyke also expressed concern about a summer tournament. 'They (FIFA) were warned,' he said in August. 'There was a report that said there could be real health risks if you held it there. 'Even if you can overcome the problem by playing games in air-conditioned stadiums and find places for teams to train, the real concern is for fans. 'Fans turn up in large numbers, often if they haven't got tickets. If you remember the German World Cup, there were large numbers watching from outside the stadium on big screens and it was a great atmosphere.

'How can you do that in 40 degrees? You can't. It is actually dangerous for fans.' Rob Harris of Associated Press has come up with a plan of how things could work May 2022: European season ends as usual. June: When the World Cup would usually be played, footballers will have the month off. July: Champions League qualifiers as normal. There might have to be fewer qualifying entrants to cope with the earlier start. Mid-July: Start of season for leading European leagues. Mid-August: European transfer window closes. Aug 23-24: Champions League group stage begins. Sept 2: Euro 2024 qualifiers. Sept 6: Euro 2024 qualifiers. Sept 30: Euro 2024 qualifiers. Oct 4: Euro 2024 qualifiers. Nov 1-2: Champions League group matchday 6. Nov 4: Mandatory release of players two weeks before World Cup. There would be no need for the usual postseason rest period before the World Cup given the event falls in the middle of the season when they would usually be playing up to three times a week.

There would be space for the usual World Cup warm-up games, which would take the place of the regular November international date. Nov 18: World Cup begins in Qatar. Dec 1: World Cup group stage ends. 368 of the 736 players exit. Dec 4: World Cup round of 16. Dec 6: World Cup round of 16 ends. 184 players exit. Dec 9: World Cup quarterfinals. Dec 10: World Cup quarterfinals. 92 players exit. Dec 13: World Cup semifinals. Dec 14: World Cup semifinals. Dec 17: World Cup 3rd-4th place. 46 players exit. Dec 18: World Cup final, which falls on Qatar National Day. The final 46 players exit the tournament. Dec 26: The Premier League could return to start its traditional packed Christmas fixture program. Other leagues could chose to resume later if they determine that players returning from the World Cup after reaching the final or third-place game need a longer break. Mid to late June: European leagues end.

August 2023: Premier League season starts as usual after a two-month break. In 2014, the Premier League season is starting just a month after the World Cup final in Brazil.

Question: The 2022 Football World Cup is to be held where?
Answer: QATAR